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the inner struggle between the instincts and the ego, of which
neurotic symptoms are the sequel.
Under the influence of a shock, such as a sudden loss of a love
object, it [the ego] denies the facts and substitutes for the unbearable
reality some agreeable delusion.
The egos capacity for denying reality is wholly inconsistent with
another function, greatly prized by it its capacity to recognize and
critically to test the objects of reality.
in its conflicts with the instincts it [the ego] makes use of different
defense mechanisms in the different periods.
Objective anxiety is the anticipation of suffering which may be
inflicted on the child as punishment by outside agents, a kind of forepain
which governs the egos behavior, no matter whether the expected
punishment always takes place or not.
It is certain that in the minds of little children urgent instinctual
demands conflict with acute objective anxiety, and the symptoms of
infantile neurosis are attempts at solving this conflict.
But in little children the ego is the product of the conflict itself, and
that side of the ego which, throughout life, will have to deal with the task of
mastering the instincts only comes to birth at this early period under the
combined pressure of the ids instinctual demands and that objective
anxiety which is external in origin.
More and more the principles held up to the child by his parents and
teachers their wishes, requirements, and ideals are introjected.
In this struggle to preserve its own existence unchanged the ego is
motivated equally by objective anxiety and anxiety of conscience and
employs indiscriminately all the methods of defense to which it has ever
had recourse in infancy and during the latency period.
CONCLUSION
There is still considerable obscurity about the historical connection
between typical experiences in individual development and the production
of particular modes of defense.
PWW 5/05